Experiment 12

Experiment 12: Rotational Equilibrium

Purpose
(1) To study Rotational Equilibrium.
(2) To locate the center of gravity of a non-uniform bar.

Apparatus
Torque bar with hangers and slotted weights, a meter-stick, equal-arm balances

Theoretical Summary:
A torque  is an applied force which causes a rotation of an object. around some point. This point
can be any reference point (for example the origin of a coordinate system) and is the center of
rotation.

Torques are vectors. The equation for a torque is:

=F r
where F is the force and r is the distance of the force from the reference point. This distance is
called the lever arm. Only the component of the force which is perpendicular to r causes a
rotation. We will use the convention that a torque is positive if it rotates the object
counterclockwise about the reference point, and negative if it rotates clockwise.

An object’s own weight exerts a force on it. For the purpose of finding the torque due to its own
weight, all of the weight of an object can be assumed to be acting at one point, known as its

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center of gravity. The center of gravity of an object is usually near its middle and is a distance
rcm from the reference point.

When an object is at rest, it is in both translational and rotational equilibrium. Then

(i) the sum of all forces acting on the object is zero.
(ii) the sum of all torques acting on the object is zero.

If all forces are in one plane, we can label this plane the x/y plane. Then these conditions result in
three equations:

Equations for Rotational and

Translational Equilibrium
(1)
∑ Fx = 0 ∑ Fy = 0 ∑τ=0

where Fx = F cos , Fy = F sin , like usual. We can find all the applied forces and use these
equations to find one unknown – the position of the center of gravity. You will see how to do
this calculation in the Lab Report below.

Procedure Preliminary Part. Basic Parameters.

(a) Figure 1 shows that the torque bar has 4 pivot points where strings may be attached. Forces
can be applied at various angles at this points by attaching weights to the strings. We can read the
angle directly from the protractors attached to the pivots.
Since you can find the torque due to a force about any reference point, we will choose the
left side of the torque bar to be our reference point. At the left side r = 0 cm. The distance from
the left side to the first pivot is r1.

(b) Record the ID number of your bar. Use the meter-stick to measure distances r1,r2,r3,r4 to
1 millimeter accuracy. Record these values on your data sheet. Measure mass M of the torque-
bar, and record.

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 Experiment 12
Procedure Part I. Horizontal Bar with Three Forces.
(c) Set M2 and M3 to be zero (remove the hangers!). Holding the bar horizontally and let
your partner guide the outer strings over their pulleys, attach their hangers, and load them with a
total mass of about 50% larger than M.
Gently release the bar until it reaches equilibrium. Very likely, it will not be horizontal.
From the higher end of the bar, subtract some mass from its hanger, and carefully notice the
effects caused by such change.

(d) Using your experience from (c) adjust masses M1 and M4 so that
(i) the bar is horizontal, and
(ii) angles α is between 110° and 150° and ß is between 30° and 70°.
Make sure that the weights, hangers and strings do not touch the table or any part of the
apparatus.
To check that the bar is horizontal, balance the meter-stick vertically at the ends of the
bar. If the difference in height is less than 2 millimeters, the bar is deemed to be horizontal, for the
purposes of this experiment.

(e) Record M1 and M4 (including the hangers, of course!). Also, record angles α and ß.

Add a few grams mass ∆m to M1 and see if your eye can detect whether the horizontality of the
bar has been disturbed. Record the largest ∆m which you can add to M1 without disturbing its
horizontal position.

Procedure Part II. Horizontal Bar with Five Forces.

(f) With the bar hanging horizontally as in (c), load it with two different masses M2 and
M3 of your choice, but each one between 100 and 250 grams (including the hangers). The
bar will assume a markedly non-horizontal position. Readjust M1 and M4 as in (d), so that the bar
is horizontal again. Record all masses M1, M2, M3, M4 and the new values of α and ß.

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 Experiment 12
Procedure Part III. Inclined Bar with Five Forces.
( g) Set M2 = M3 = 200gm and allow the bar to come to rest in an inclined position. Adjust M1
and M2, if necessary, to make the bar incline between 10° and 30° with respect to the horizontal.
Record all masses and angles Ø, θ, and ψ shown in Figure 2. Notice that ψ is a negative
angle since it is downward.

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 Experiment 12
Lab Report
For all calculations, use the coordinate system that has the torque bar as the x axis. Your
x = 0 point is at the left side of the bar. The y axis is perpendicular to the bar. Calculate torques
from the x = 0 point. The sign of the torque is the sign of the force in the y direction (F y).
Forces in the upward direction give positive torques and in the downward
direction give negative torques.

Part I
First find the mass of the torque bar. Then find the components and torques of the forces due to
the masses to 3 significant digits. Fill in the following table. (Use g = 10 m/s2.)
MTorqueBar
r1 r2 r3 r4

Mass Force=Mg r Angle Fx Fy  = Fy * r

(kg) (N) (m) (deg) (N-m)
(N) (N)
Center of Mass (see below) -90 0 (see below)
of Torque Bar
M1

M4

SUM

Now calculate the torque of the torque bar and the position of the center of mass. First use
equation (4) and solve for CM.
3.   = 0
4. 1 + 4 + CM = 0 (This is the sum of all the torques.)
Then solve for the position of the center of mass rCM:
5. CM = Fy of torque bar * rCM

SHOW THIS CALCULATION TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING.

Check
Check Fx, Fy,  in Parts I, II and III. All sums should be equal to zero.
State clearly how this result conforms to theory. Comment on discrepancies.

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 Experiment 12
Part II
Fill out a similar table for Part II. (Remember: YOU NOW KNOW rCM of the torque bar.)

Mass Force r angle Fx Fy 

(kg) (N) (m) (deg) (N-m)
(N) (N)
M1

M2

M3

M4

Torque from above -90o 0

Bar
Sum

Part III
Fill out a table for Part III just as you did for Part II . The torque bar is still the x axis.

Mass Force r angle Fx Fy 

(kg) (N) (m) (deg) (N-m)
(N) (N)
M1

M2

M3

M4

Torque (same angle

Bar as M2 and
M3)
Sum

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